Can an employer authorize lump sum vacation leave or accelerate vacation leave accrual rates to support the recruitment and/or retention of an employee or candidate for a WMS position?

In addition to the vacation leave accruals as provided in WAC 357-31-165, an employer may authorize additional vacation leave as follows to support the recruitment and/or retention of an employee or candidate for a specific WMS position:

(1) Employers may authorize an accelerated accrual rate for an employee or candidate. The WMS employee would remain at the accelerated accrual rate until the WMS employee's anniversary date caught up to the accrual rate amount in accordance with WAC 357-31-165; and/or

(2) Employers may authorize a lump sum accrual of up to eighty hours of vacation leave for the employee or candidate.

Vacation leave accrued under this section must be used in accordance with the leave provisions of chapter 357-31 WAC.